What Do S’mores, Burgers, and Chevelle Have in Common? They’re the Stars of These Beer Events

S’mores, burgers, and the band Chevelle help inspire this next batch of beer-centric events and festivals in Chicago.

La Gargola Release With Chevelle
Revolution Brewpub will be the hot spot for hard-rockin’ Chevelle fans looking to get fired up for their Lollapalooza performance. Revolution will be releasing a collaboration beer with the band named after their 2014 album, La Gargola—it’s a Helles Lager coming in at a poundable 4.8% ABV. Expect lots of Chevelle tunes to be jamming and hopefully an appearance from the group.Details: August 1, 9 p.m.–midnight.

Solemn Slashie
It’s Slashie time at Solemn Oath again! This time they’re bringing in beers for sale from local flavor-forward adjunct kings Mikerphone, New Orleans–based brewers Courtyard, and Denver-based Cerebral. SOB will be releasing its collaborative brews from each brewery, as well as a few other packaged goodies. Food will be available from Craft Urban and Crust Culture.Details: August 2, noon–5 p.m.

Photo courtesy of On Tour Brewing

Dancing in the Streets
This is a street fest in the Chicago Brewing District with craft beer, local food, live jam bands, and local artisans and makers. An inaugural event produced by the West Town Chamber of Commerce, On Tour Brewery, and Chicago Brewing District, it features a variety of beers on tap from area brewers like All Rise Brewing Co., Burnt City Brewing, Finch Beer Co., Forbidden Root, Goose Island Beer Co., Great Central Brewing Company, and On Tour Brewing Company.Details: August 3 and 4, noon–10 p.m.; $5 suggested donation

Old Irving Park Beer & BBQ Challenge
Sometimes a name just seems to say it all, but let’s get into the details a bit more just to further whet our appetite. Twenty-three of our favorite local breweries (Maplewood, Off Color, Mikerphone, Half Acre, Marz, just to name a few) will be paired up with a local barbecue pitmaster to create euphoria-inducing beer and food pairings. Some beers may be brewed specifically for this event, and each brewery brings two offerings for a total of 46 sudsy options.Details: August 3, 1–5 p.m.; $65 for general admission and $100 for VIP

Wheaton Brew Fest 2019
If you’re out in the western suburbs and it’s a beautiful day, stop by Wheaton’s annual outdoor craft beer fest, featuring more than 80 brews from 35-plus local and national breweries. This is a good opportunity to introduce your family to some of your local faves and try a few new releases. The fest also includes live bands and food vendors.Details: August 3, noon–4:30 p.m.; $50 for general admission and $75 for VIP

Photo courtesy of Begyle Brewing Company

S’mores Day at Begyle
Pastry stouts remain a crowd-pleaser among both entry-level beer fans and experienced drinkers. So, apparently, Begyle got fired up about August 10 being National S’mores Day and decided to release a S’mores Flannel Pajama variant on draft. This dessert-reminiscent oatmeal stout will be available while supplies last; Three Legged Tacos will be in the taproom filling up bellies with deliciousness; and Amy’s Candy Bar will be serving up the kind of s’mores you gotta chew.Details: August 10, 11 a.m.–10 p.m.

Trotter Project Beer Fest
This event kicks off the fifth annual Charlie Trotter Days, which runs August 15–19 and honors the legacy of the titular culinary giant. Held at the Irish American Heritage Center, the fest brings together some of the city’s best brewpubs to celebrate craft beer and Chicago’s phenomenal food culture. Attendees will be treated to beer and food from brewing powerhouses like Maplewood, Marz, Forbidden Root, Cruz Blanca, Old Irving, and more.Details: August 11, 1:30–5 p.m.; $35

Burger Throwdown at Mikerphone
It’s a knockdown brawl for the best burger in the burbs. The fight of the charred chuck. The thrilla where you can drink Mikerphone’s Imperial Stout with double maple and vanilla. In the ring will be Burger Antics of Brookfield, Chicago Culinary Kitchen of Palatine, and Crusade Burger Bar of Yorkville. Mikerphone beer will be available for purchase on draft and to-go.Details: August 16, 4–8 p.m.; $30 tickets include a burger from each spot and a vote for the best

Photo courtesy of Lagunitas Brewing Company

Bites & Brews With Beermiscuous
We Chicagoans dig our craft beer and food. We’re known for it and we have no shame about it. But even we can stand to learn a thing or two about how to pair these passions. Luckily, the staff at Beermiscuous knows many things about beer and how to pair it with food. For this event, they’re bringing in local food blogger Laura Scherb of Page & Plate and serving a four-course tasting menu that will include Cheddar chive pretzels, French onion beer dip, roasted burrata carrots with carrot-top pesto, and grown-up s’mores.Details: August 20, 6:30–8 p.m.; $35

Lagunitas Beer Circus: Chicago
Through all its evolution and growth, Lagunitas has remained pretty dang weird—or, at least, eccentric. This annual touring circus held in Chicago at Douglas Park appears to be its celebration of eccentricities in all shapes and sizes. Lots of Lagunitas brews will be flowing, as well as some yet-to-be-announced local guest taps. Entertainment? Music, burlesque, aerialists, sideshows…basically everything that an acid trip would deem to be overkill.Details: August 24, noon–5 p.m.; $40